The source comes from the people. Toumanian heard it in Lori, from his uncle Isa.

According to Anoushavan Abovyan, the poet wrote this ballad after leaving the Nersisian School – in September-December of 1886.

Generally, for about thirty years, from time to time Toumanian referred to this work, made changes and corrections.

In 1889 Av. Araskhanyan refused to print “The Dog and the Cat” in “Murtch” magazine. In 1916 Toumanian wrote about it in his letter to Ts. Khanzadyan: “If “The Dog and the Cat” is not in my first book (published in Moscow), the reason is deceased Araskhanyan's surprise, which he expressed to me in 1889, when I took him to print in the new “Murtch”.

He read it, was very surprised and asked, "Tell me, please, Dog and Cat and a poem, what do these have to do with each other, in addition – it is in such a savage language...”.

AT one time, the Cat was a furrier;
And the Dog had no hat for his head,
But, I know not how, from somewhere,
He had managed to snatch a lambskin.

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